Heist-op-den-Berg
Encyclopedia
Heist-op-den-Berg is a municipality
located in the Belgian
province of Antwerp
. The municipality comprises the villages of Booischot (including the hamlet Pijpelheide), Hallaar, Heist-op-den-Berg proper (including the hamlets: Heist-Goor
, Heist-Station, Zonderschot, Heist-Centrum, and Bruggeneinde), Itegem, Schriek and Wiekevorst.
. As can be appreciated from the artifacts shown at the regional museum on the city’s main square, this area was already populated in prehistoric times. Soon after the Romans
yielded this land to the invading Germanic peoples
in the 3rd and 4th century, Christianization
followed. The village of Itegem, located right on the Nete River
, was most likely the first hamlet to be founded, as suggested by a document dating from 976. Chapels in Hallaar and Itegem were built in the 12th century. This century also marked the beginnings of the Duchy of Brabant
, of which this whole area was a part.
Around the year 1200, a military fort was built at the current location of the Ter Laken castle, on Booischot’s territory. Schriek, which was founded in 1125, got its own chapel in 1260 while the main church at Heist was built in 1340. These two religious buildings were heavily damaged during the wars of religion around 1600. During most of the Middle Ages
, agriculture was driving the economy and several huge farming domains were built, some of which still subsist today (e.g., Wimpelhoeve in Wiekevorst, traces of which date from the 12th century, and Pandoerenhoeve in Schriek, dating from 1624). During the 17th and 18th century, the miraculous wooden statue of the Virgin and Child in the Hallaar church became an object of pilgrimage
.
The current city hall was built in 1844, fourteen years after the foundation of Belgium as an independent country. Today, the city is mostly a residential centre, which offers services to the surrounding communities.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
located in the Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
province of Antwerp
Antwerp (province)
Antwerp is the northernmost province both of the Flemish Region, also called Flanders, and of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and the Belgian provinces of Limburg, Flemish Brabant and East Flanders. Its capital is Antwerp which comprises the Port of Antwerp...
. The municipality comprises the villages of Booischot (including the hamlet Pijpelheide), Hallaar, Heist-op-den-Berg proper (including the hamlets: Heist-Goor
Heist-Goor
Heist-Goor is a hamlet of Heist-op-den-Berg, that is situated in the south of the province of Antwerp . In the old days there was a swamp on this location .-Buildings in Heist-Goor:...
, Heist-Station, Zonderschot, Heist-Centrum, and Bruggeneinde), Itegem, Schriek and Wiekevorst.
History
The 48-meter-high hill on which Heist would later be built (hence the adjunct name op-den-Berg meaning “on the hill”) was formed during the early Ice AgeIce age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. As can be appreciated from the artifacts shown at the regional museum on the city’s main square, this area was already populated in prehistoric times. Soon after the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
yielded this land to the invading Germanic peoples
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
in the 3rd and 4th century, Christianization
Christianization
The historical phenomenon of Christianization is the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once...
followed. The village of Itegem, located right on the Nete River
Nete River
The Nete is a river in northern Belgium, right tributary of the Rupel. It flows through the Belgian province of Antwerp. It is formed in Lier, at the confluence of the rivers Grote Nete and Kleine Nete...
, was most likely the first hamlet to be founded, as suggested by a document dating from 976. Chapels in Hallaar and Itegem were built in the 12th century. This century also marked the beginnings of the Duchy of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
, of which this whole area was a part.
Around the year 1200, a military fort was built at the current location of the Ter Laken castle, on Booischot’s territory. Schriek, which was founded in 1125, got its own chapel in 1260 while the main church at Heist was built in 1340. These two religious buildings were heavily damaged during the wars of religion around 1600. During most of the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, agriculture was driving the economy and several huge farming domains were built, some of which still subsist today (e.g., Wimpelhoeve in Wiekevorst, traces of which date from the 12th century, and Pandoerenhoeve in Schriek, dating from 1624). During the 17th and 18th century, the miraculous wooden statue of the Virgin and Child in the Hallaar church became an object of pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
.
The current city hall was built in 1844, fourteen years after the foundation of Belgium as an independent country. Today, the city is mostly a residential centre, which offers services to the surrounding communities.
Sights
- The historical heart of the city is the church square (Kerkplein), where one of the city’s many old water pumpPumpA pump is a device used to move fluids, such as liquids, gases or slurries.A pump displaces a volume by physical or mechanical action. Pumps fall into three major groups: direct lift, displacement, and gravity pumps...
s can be seen, and where a train museum (Treinmuseum) and a regional farming museum (Heemmuseum) can be visited. - An old windmillWindmillA windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
, the last one in the MechelenMechelenMechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
area, churches and chapels, and farms, many with their original water pumps, dot the landscape around the city. - Heist-op-den-Berg (especially Itegem) also houses several castles, most of which are privately owned and therefore not open to the public.
Famous inhabitants
- Silvy De BieSylverSylver is a Belgian vocal Trance group best known for the song "Turn the Tide". The group's vocalist is Silvy De Bie and keyboardist/songwriter is Wout Van Dessel . Regi Penxten is the producer and co-songwriter...
, singer (b. 1981) - Paul MichielsPaul MichielsPaul Michiels is a Belgian singer and songwriter who became popular for his work with the Belgian music group Soulsister. He has earned the nickname Polle Pap, a name he inherited from a childhood job as a milkman in his hometown of Heist-op-den-Berg, where he was born.Paul started out with a...
, singer and songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
(b. 1948) - Xessiqt, MageMageMage may refer to:*Magi, a tribe from ancient Media of Iran*Mage, Burma*Magician , a practitioner of paranormal magic*Magician , a practitioner of magic as portrayed in works of fiction...
and pro gamer (b. 1992)
External links
- Official city website (DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
only)